Ultimate X Men: Stargazer
by The Dark Zodiac
Summary: An Ultimate X Men fic based around Colossus and my original mutant Rhys, codenamed Zodian. Rhys power proves too great to control so the X Men take him in. SLASH. Piotr and original character. Chapter 7 up!
1. Chapter 1: Fire In The Sky

Stargazer

by The Dark Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the X-Men characters. That's all Marvel.

_Author Notes: Welcome to my first Ultimate X-Men fic. It stars Colossus and my original character. I hope you all enjoy it! The first chapter is a little heavy with dialogue, but successive chapters are lighter on it. Reviews are much appreciated! Xoxo.  
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Chapter I: Fire In The Sky

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Reeny flicked through the radio stations in her car, wriggling her nose at the lack of anything decent to listen to. Cars whizzed past her filled with her classmates obnoxiously honking their horns, warning pedestrians to avoid the mile radius around them. Just as a decent song crossed the airwaves to her car, the passenger side door swing open and Rhys Sinclair jumped in. 

"I can't believe she gave me a C and detention! Me! Detention! I can't remember the last time I had detention! Probably 6th grade."

"Well, you _did_ move her chair before she sat down."

"Hey! It moved by itself. Plus she has no proof."

"I saw that look on your face right before she went to sit."

"Whatever. And that was retaliation for the C."

"Professor Marie isn't that bad."

"Yes she is! She hates it if you have any original ideas not already written down in the damn text book. I hate her. And the harassment will continue, threat of detention looming over my head notwithstanding."

Reeny sped away from the school and left the radio to Rhys. After a few static-filled moments, Reeny finally asked what had been on her mind.

"Have you told your parents yet?"

"Hell no. With all the bad press and sentiment surrounding mutants, I doubt my parents would be pleased to find out their one and only is among their ranks."

"You could tell them and wipe their memory."

"I hate that I didn't think of that. Plus you know I don't like using telepathy unless I have to. But it is a good idea. For now I'm not telling them. What would I do without you, Reeny?"

"I'm not _saying_ your life would be less awesome without me, but whatever."

"I just can't tell them yet. I know they love me and all that stuff, but...I mean...it just wouldn't serve any purpose. I doubt they'd have the same reaction you did."

"You gotta make the couch fly around the house again. That was highly entertaining."

"That's a reaction they definitely will not have."

"Well, here's your house."

"Thanks for the ride, Reeny," Rhys said as she pulled up to the curb and he hopped out.

"No problem, Rhys! See ya tomorrow morning?"

"Absolutely darling. How else am I supposed to get to school? Fly?"

"You're terrible."

They waved goodbye to each other before Reeny sped off and Rhys made his way to the front porch of his house. After fumbling through his messenger bag, he grabbed the house key and let himself in.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" he called, but received no response.

Upon investigating the house further, Rhys found a note from his Mom:

_Your father burned a hole through  
his pants when he tried to iron them.  
Be back in a bit. There's food in the fridge  
and don't forget to feed Saturn.  
Xoxo  
Mom_

Rhys poked through the fridge and settled on leftover Chinese from last night, but before he could partake of the MSG laden sustenance, a high-pitched whine emanated from the back door. He sighed in frustration.

"Mom and dad couldn't have fed you before they left?" Rhys moaned to Saturn as he grabbed the bag of dog food out from a cabinet. "Damn this bag is heavy...where's the opening...it's new...damn this bag is hard to open...shit."

Dog food everywhere. Rhys took a quick peak out the window to see if anyone was in proximity of said window, no one was, and did something he only did when privacy was guaranteed or while in the presence of Reeny. With little effort, Rhys made each steak shaped piece of dog food gently lift off the floor and land just as gently into the bowl marked _Saturn_, which then floated to Rhys' hands.

"Um...downside to being a mutie?" he said again to the emptiness of the house as he made his way to the back door. "I see none."

The golden retriever sat obediently as it made that piercing yet endearing whine dogs make when they're in need of something. As the full bowl came into view, a surge of energy ran through Saturn; barking and tail wagging ensued as Rhys opened the door and set the bowl down in front of him.

"Downside to being a mutie _and_ gay? Any more strikes against me and I'm out. No pun intended."

Now that Saturn had been fed, the next pressing matter was that delicious Chinese food sitting on the living room table in front of that vibrant plasma screen TV. Oh how Rhys loved the finer things in life, especially the horoscopes. Especially the star charts. Telekinesis and telepathy were merely parlor tricks compared to Rhys' real power. But without the ability to control that power, or anywhere to even practice really, he was merely a loaded gun waiting to go off again. The stars, the zodiac, the constellations. One day he'd refine his power, but why do today what you can put off for tomorrow? Saturn's barking suddenly broke Rhys out of his reverie.

"I just fed you, Saturn," he moaned as he made his way to the back door, again. "Saturn? What's wrong? Calm down," he said as he slid the door open to pacify the dog.

Saturn continued barking at something behind Rhys and the boy almost had a heart attack when he turned around because what his eyes beheld in their gaze was both shocking and terrifying. An enormous purple and pink robot towered over the house.

"Mutant DNA detected," a robot voice proclaimed. "Proceed with termination."

"No! Saturn, run!"

Saturn did not run, instead choosing to bravely stand with his master in the face of death by a hideously colored giant robot. Rhys felt a click in his body as a beam of energy shot from the robot's hand which, instead of Rhys' body, connected with a dome of transparent, swirling white and black energy. His eyes glowed as the same swirling energy began to expand from his body in swirling tendrils, lifting him from the ground to meet the robot eye to eye. As the robot raised its other hand to release another beam of energy, Rhys felt his body contract; it felt like an explosion starting from his very core and spreading outward, a surge of energy so intense it could've been seen for miles had anyone been looking for an after school rumble in the sky.

Not a remnant of the robot remained save some scorch marks on the roof of the house and when Rhys finally slipped through the air to the ground, he ran his fingers through Saturn's hair before collapsing into the lush grass. The last thing he remembered was a V-shaped shadow hovering over his house and he prayed it wasn't another one of those robots. Damn they were ugly.

"_Scott, Jean, Peter, Hank. Bring him to the Mansion. Quickly._"

"_Yes, Professor_."

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End Chapter I: Fire In The Sky

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_R&R please!_


	2. Chapter 2: Awakening

Stargazer

by The Dark Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men. Marvel does.

_Author Notes: Welcome to chapter 2 of my fic. I hope you enjoyed chapter one! Reviews are much appreciated! And I lied about the dialogue. Hehe. Enoy!

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Chapter II: Awakening

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Rhys began to stir midflight, the memory of what occurred not-so-long-ago flooding his mind, causing him to shoot up on the medical bed in the X-Jet. Panicked, he began frantically looking around to gather some semblance of where he was. Then a voice penetrated his mind.

"_Calm down, Rhys. You're safe now_."

"_Who are you?_"

"_My name is Jean Grey. I'm a mutant, like you._"

"_Where are you taking me?_"

"_Our base of operations in Upstate New York. Another mutant, Peter, is coming to you right now._"

Just then a door slid open and Peter came through. Rhys was still a little uneasy about the whole thing and made a telekinetic barrier between them, just in case. He gave Peter the once over, taking in his massive stature and well-kept crew cut as he focused on the space and energy separating them

"Peter, I presume."

"Rhys. It's a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it could've been under different circumstances."

"Where am I? What the hell do you want with me?"

"On our plane the X-Jet. Now please, lower your barrier and come with me. The others are waiting for you up front."

"Others? What the hell is all this? Is Saturn okay?"

"Saturn?"

"My dog. And who's Jean?"

The door suddenly slid open again, this time revealing a girl with short red hair and piercing green eyes.

"I'm Jean," she said as she sauntered into the room.

"Finally, a face to go with the voice. Take me back home. Now!"

"Do you really want us to drop you off so more of those robots can try to kill you?" Jean asked.

"Rhys, please calm down. I know this may seem a bit strange, but we're all mutants trying to help one another," Peter added as he tried to pacify Rhys.

Rhys backed away from them but held the barrier between them. He was starting to panic now; the feeling of being a rat in some kind of cage came over him in waves. Swirling energy began to envelop Rhys as his eyes began to glow a piercing white while the same black and white energy manifestation grew from Rhys' body. Jean and Peter both stared in awe, but a telepathic message from the Professor broke their wonderment.

"_You must subdue him until you get to the Mansion!_"

"Peter!"

"Right. Take down the barrier!"

"I…he's so strong. I can't get through."

Peter grabbed one of the chairs next to the med table and slammed it against the barrier; the resulting reverberations caused Rhys to flinch for just a moment, allowing Jean enough time to knock him to the ground with a blast of telekinetic energy.

"Now Pete!"

Peter rushed Rhys and held him in the gentlest bear hug he could as his body shifted to its organic metal state. Jean pressed her hand to Rhys' head to try and knock him unconscious, but he continued to struggle.

"Jean?"

"He's...resisting? He's so powerful."

"You cannot subdue me!" Rhys declared in a voice much deeper than his own. "I am Z…"

Finally Rhys' struggling ceased as he collapsed in Peter's arms and the Russian carried his limp body back to the medical table. Instead of heading back to the cockpit with Jean, Peter took a seat next to Rhys sleeping figure.

"I'll wait here, Jean...just in case he wakes up again."

"He won't until we get to the Mansion...hopefully."

When Jean took her place in the front of the jet next to Cyclops, he looked at her expecting an explanation for what happened.

"Relax, Scott. He's scared. His powers are...immense and he doesn't have a grasp on how to control them yet. But his telekinesis and telepathy seem to be well developed and powerful."

"I hope the Professor knows what he's doing."

"Under the Professor's care, Rhys will be well taken care of," Hank chimed in.

In the back of the jet, Peter stood above Rhys and stared down at the sleeping boy. Dark brown bangs lay splayed across his forehead while eyelids kept his deep brown eyes hidden and Peter noticed while he wasn't slender, he wasn't fat either. Suddenly his eyes fluttered open.

"You're...awake?" Peter exclaimed.

"Heh. Yeah. Sorry about before. It's weird waking up in a really strange jet surrounded by other mutants. I lost it for a second and….kind of took the liberty of reading your minds. Sorry."

"It's understandable."

"So, Peter, right?" he asked as he extended his hand with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Rhys," he responded as he took Rhys hand and returned the smile.

"So where are we going?"

"The Mansion. We're taking you to meet Professor Xavier, the one who sent us to get you. He's the leader of the X-Men."

"What are the X-Men?"

"I thought you read our minds," he said with a smirk.

"Funny."

"We fight to bridge the gap between humans and mutants and protect humanity."

"Protect humanity from what?"

"...Everything."

"So you turn into steel?"

"Organic metal, but yeah, pretty much. What about you? That was a pretty impressive display of power."

"Telepathy, telekinesis, and…I don't know what to call my other power. It has to do with stars, but that's really all I understand about it. I can feel the energy of the stars...kind of communicate with them. It's really weird. I can't really control it so I haven't been able to experiment with it."

"The Professor will help you with that. Sometimes Jean's powers flare up too. I guess it's a telepath thing," he quipped.

"I'd turn metal if I were you."

"Huh?" he asked with cocked eyebrow as his body shifted to its metal state and Rhys sent a medical kit flying at his head. "Nice."

"If you stand outside during a lightning storm, can I use you to charge my iPod?"

"That's not funny."

"On the contrary, it's quite hysterical."

"So do you intend to fling a few of those at the Sentinels?"

"How much do they charge you to get waxed at the car wash?"

"Peter," came Scott's voice over the intercom, "we're coming up on the Mansion now."

"I'm going to the front. You can join me if you'd like."

When Rhys went to stand his legs buckled and Peter caught him before he hit the ground, affording the perfect opportunity for an awkward moment followed by an awkward smile. Peter helped Rhys to the front of the jet to the surprise of Jean, Scott, and Hank.

"Did you wake him up, Pete?" Jean asked.

"I..."

"I'm a light sleeper," Rhys interjected with a smile.

"I'm Scott," Cyclops said as he maneuvered the jet over the Mansion.

"And I'm Henry McCoy, also known as Beast. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"I'm Rhys. Nice to meet all of you. And Beast...is that some kind of inside joke or something?"

"No my dear boy, it's a codename. All of the X-Men are assigned codenames based on their powers. For example, Scott shoots a blast of energy from his eyes and the Professor bestowed the codename _Cyclops_ upon him."

"...Cool?"

The jet slowly descended and landed with a slight thud to which Scott offered an unapologetic 'Sorry.' As they made their way out of the jet, Professor Xavier sent them a telepathic message to bring Rhys to his study.

"Pete, do you think you could bring Rhys to the Professor? I've got some stuff to do with Scott and Hank's got some stuff to do in the med lab."

"Sure."

Peter and Rhys made their way out of the sub-basement while Scott, Jean, and Hank bided time in the hangar.

"And what exactly do _we_ need to do?" Scott asked.

"I thought we should give Pete and Rhys some alone time. And I have a headache so I could use some aspirin."

"Why?"

"I'm not even a telepath, Scott, and I could sense something," Hank chimed in.

With a smile Jean added, "I think they're a little taken with each other."

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End Chapter II: Awakening

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_Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3: In The Rain

Stargazer

by The Dark Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men characters or any of that jazz.

_Author Notes: I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and I know this chapter is kinda short so I'm gonna post chapter 4 quite soon. Quite. Enjoy! Reviews are much appreciated!

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Chapter III: In The Rain

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"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rhys," Professor Xavier welcomed as they shook hands.

"I've heard a lot about you."

"I apologize for bringing you here without warning, but under the circumstances, I hope you understand."

"Yeah, there's just the one little thing about my parents probably being home and me...well...not being there and there may or may not be some remnants of a giant ugly robot that tried to kill me."

"Do not be concerned about your parents. Through telepathic suggestion, I convinced them you went to visit a friend in New York and they simply forgot about it."

"You're a telepath?"

The Professor explained to Rhys what the X-Men were all about, as well as the Mansion and present situation with the mutant hunting robots known as Sentinels, the Brotherhood, and various other pressing issues. Throughout the entire conversation, Peter stood silently, stealing glances of Rhys every few minutes. With little convincing, Rhys agreed to attend the school and the Professor contacted his parents to set up a meeting, leaving out the fact that he was, indeed, a mutant.

"Peter, why don't you show Rhys the grounds and help him get acquainted with some of the other students?"

"Sure, Professor. Is that okay, Rhys?"

"Absolutely. Just...one question. How do I get home?"

The Professor laughed and assured Rhys that everything would be taken care of in due time, though Rhys still had some concerns about actually getting home. And dealing with his parents. And Saturn. But right now he was being shown around a gorgeous Mansion by a mutant who had thoroughly piqued his interest.

"Our rooms are really nice, but the grounds are just astounding. I love walking aimlessly," Peter said as he led Rhys around the gardens.

"I love walking in the rain. It's one of my favorite pastimes. Especially while listening to music."

"The rain is so...calming. I love painting when it rains."

"Inside I hope."

"You're still not funny."

"I'm hilarious. And…you paint?"

"In my spare time, which I've been having less and less of."

"I take it being an X-Man is a fulltime job. What's your mutant name?"

"Colossus."

"Heh. It fits…but at the same time…is misleading."

"And how is it misleading?"

"Because you're much more gentle than your name implies."

They both managed weak smile as their cheeks flushed a deep shade of red .Just then dark clouds began to form in the sky and a gentle rain was merely the harbinger for the torrential downpour that was to come, but Rhys and Peter continued to wander around outside.

"It's raining pretty hard," Peter observed as the two of them sat on a stone bench beneath a weeping willow tree.

"I thought you liked the rain."

"I do. But we're both soaked."

"I think I can take care of that," Rhys said as he created a telekinetic umbrella over their heads.

"So...you think you're gonna join the X-Men."

"I already told the Professor yes. You were in the room, remember?"

"Heh, I guess I forgot."

"Get a little distracted?" he asked with a smile. "Let's head back to the Mansion."

As they walked down the stone path to the Mansion, Rhys slipped and fell right on his ass. Peter grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet with a smile.

"You okay?"

"My ass is killing me, but fine. Thanks."

The clouds suddenly parted, revealing a fiercely bright sun.

"Uh…is it me or is the weather really bizarre around here?"

"It's probably just Storm having a mood swing."

"Storm?"

"You'll meet her later. She can control the weather and sometimes the weather matches her mood."

"That sounds…terrifying."

"You know that move _The Day After Tomorrow_?"

"The one with that guy who played the gay cowboy?"

"Yeah."

"Whoa."

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End Chapter III: In The Rain

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_Thanks for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4: Promise

Stargazer

by The Dark Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or any of that jazz.

_Author Notes: As promised, chapter 4 because chapter 3 was on the shorter side. I hope you're all enjoying the progression of their relationship and the story thus far. As always, reviews are much appreciated because all writers need some feedback! On to chapter 4!

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Chapter IV: Promise

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Rhys had been at the school for two months and had gained an even greater grip on his telepathy and telekinesis. His other power still flared up every once in a while, but no one ever got hurt and they only lasted a few minutes until he regained control. He was quickly accept by his fellow X-Men and his relationship with Peter took some interesting turns since they'd first met. Nothing had really happened between them, but they both felt an unspoken vibe that kept them bound closer than the others.

Rhys had been listening to music and watching Peter paint in his room when they got a telepathic message from the Professor.

_Zodian. You and Colossus meet Storm and Iceman and proceed to the danger room._

_Sure, Professor._

"Shall we?" Rhys asked as he sat up on Peter's and flung his headphones off.

"Just when I get started…"

"Oh, there'll be plenty of time for painting after a danger room training session. Now let's go."

They made their way to the elevator and found Bobby and Ororo already waiting with the Professor, in addition to Scott and Jean.

"What's up, Professor?" Bobby asked.

"Just a little impromptu training session. With recent reports of Sentinels operating outside of government control, you're never too prepared. Well, let's get started."

"Are Scott and Jean coming too?" Storm asked.

"They'll be watching with me from here."

Storm, Iceman, Colossus and Zodian entered the danger room and waited anxiously for the simulation to begin. In the blink of an eye, the room transformed to a smoldering war zone where numerous Sentinels patrolled. Storm quickly took the lead and used enormous bolts of lightning to slice through the Sentinels like butter. Iceman froze the giant robots in place and then drove enormous ice spikes through their heads. Colossus tore through their legs and, once crashing to the ground, tore through the rest of their metal bodies. Zodian used his telekinesis to tear the Sentinels limb from limb and then used the limbs to disable surrounding Sentinels.

"Zodian! Look out!" Storm suddenly screamed as steel tentacles shot out of a Sentinel's hands.

"Ugh," he moaned as the Sentinel hoisted him into and he struggled against it.

Zodian's eyes switched between the normal brown and glowing white as he tried to break free of the robot's grasp.

"Professor! He's gonna lose it again! Stop the simulation!"

"Wait, Scott," Jean interrupted. "I'm trying to get into his mind."

Zodian's eyes remained the glowing white color as tendrillical energy surrounded him and began to expand, taking the form of two enormous wings and a flowing cape. The steel tentacle dissolved as the energy touched it and soon the giant robot lay in pieces on the ground, though Zodian remained suspended in the air. More Sentinels surrounded him, but were quickly diced into spare parts with the raise of Zodian's hand.

"Professor!" Scott yelled.

"I…can't reach him! His powers are so immense."

Zodian descended to the ground and slowly began to make his way towards the other X-Men.

_X-Men! You must stop him!_

Iceman tried to capture him in a wave of ice, but Zodian easily diverted the ice and knocked him across the room. Storm almost conjured enough wind to send Colossus flying, but Zodian seemed to ignore the violent gusts, instead using his wings to blow the wind right back at her. Colossus caught her in his arms before she slammed into the wall and then quickly changed into his steel form to confront Zodian, who was making his way to Pete's direction that very moment.

"Rhys! I know you can hear me and I know you don't want to hurt me!"

"Yes I do!" he said, in the same sinister voice he and Jean had heard on the X-Jet.

"No! You don't! Rhys! Please! It's Peter."

Zodian stopped and stared hard at the Russian as more energy began to flow from his body, but then suddenly receded, along with the wings and cape. Rhys just stood blankly for a moment until Pete put his hands on his shoulders.

"Pete…help me," he said as he collapsed into the Russian's arms.

_Pete, get him to the med lab._

A few hours later, Rhys woke up in a bed watched over by Peter. He had a throbbing pain in his head and squinted because the lights stung his eyes. When Peter saw these signs of life, he leapt out of his chair to check on Rhys.

"Rhys! Are you okay?"

"My head is killing me. What…oh God! Are Bobby and Ororo okay?"

"Yeah. I think they were more shocked than physically injured."

"I can't do this, Pete. What if this happens on a mission? I nearly took out the danger room!"

"Rhys, you just have to relax. We'll talk to the Professor later. I'm sure he'll know what to do about your powers," he reassured.

"Pete," he whispered as he tried to choke back tears, but soon the tears slowly dripped from the sides of his eyes. "I…I don't want to hurt anyone…"

Pete leaned down and slid his arms around Rhys' shaking body.

"Shhh. You'll be fine, Rhys Just relax."

It wasn't until his arms were firmly secured around the Russian that he noticed black markings and symbols all over his arms. He pulled away from Pete in horror as he examined the inexplicable markings, which looked like a weird mix of tribal tattoos and familiar looking ciphers.

"Pete…what's happening to me?"

"I…I don't know."

"Please…don't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere, Rhys. I promise."

Rhys looked Pete directly in the eyes and slid his arm around the Russian once again.

"Pete…"

It's impossible to say which one instigated the kiss because something in both of their brains clicked at the exact same second, though their reasons may have been different. Or maybe they both read the undeniable need for it in each other's eyes. It could've even been Fate. Regardless of what was responsible for it, Peter and Rhys shared their first kiss under the halogen lights of the medical bay. It only lasted for a few moments, but somewhere deep inside each of them, they realized this affirmed a slew of unspoken mutual feelings they'd had since they met.

"Rhys…I…I'm sorry I don't know what came over me…"

"Pete, it's okay. What's there to be sorry about?"

"I've just…I never…"

"You don't have to explain, Pete, really. I mean…did you like it?"

"Wha…uh…yeah."

"You don't have to be ashamed. Forget about what other people think. It's your life and you have every right to be happy."

"How do you know what other people….never mind."

"Psychic, remember? Plus when I peaked inside your mind on the X-Jet I found a few things you try to keep buried deep down. Sorry about that."

"Under the circumstances, it's forgivable. So…now what?"

Rhys smiled as he leaned in and pressed his lips against Pete's once more. Before much else could happen, Rhys sensed Jean coming and broke their kiss just in time.

"How you feeling, Rhys?" she asked as the door slid closed behind her.

"I have a really bad headache, but fine besides that."

"I take it Pete's been keeping an eye on you."

"Yeah," he mumbled as he blushed.

"Well, when you're feeling better, the Professor would like to talk with you."

"Am…I in trouble?"

"Not at all, Rhys. He'd just like to try and work with you to get your powers under control. I mean, we've had glimpses of your powers before, but in the danger room today…you tore apart the Sentinels like they were nothing and flung Iceman and Storm aside like they were rag dolls."

"I…I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. You have power that could save thousands of lives; you just need…a little more control over it. You just need time."

"Jean," Peter chimed in. "Maybe another time."

"I'll see the two of you later," she said with a smile before hurrying off.

"Jean seems a little stressed," Pete observed.

"Look! Those markings. They're…gone," Rhys said as he examined his arms once again. "I'm scared, Pete. I can't shake this feeling that something bad is coming."

Pete slid his arms around Rhys and held him close for a moment before whispering, "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Just don't leave me."

"I won't. I promise."

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End Chapter IV: Promise

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_Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated!_


	5. Chapter 5: Get Together

Stargazer

by The Dark Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men. THEY OWN ME! Just kidding. Oh, how I'm losing my mind.

_Author Notes: None really. Thanks for the reviews so far and I'm glad you seem to be enjoying the saga of Piotr and Rhys. I'm almost done writing the rest of the story, so updates should flow pretty smoothly once it's all done. And I'm already outlining a little sequelish story about Rhys, Pete, and his parents. Should be a good time for all. 5 points goes to the first person who can name the singer of 'Get Together.' Anyway, R&R please!

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Chapter V: Get Together

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"Really, it's quite alright, Rhys," the Professor assured him as he levitated a bottle of water to him. "You're not the first person to ravage the danger room, and I doubt you'll be the last."

"I just…I feel so bad. I attacked people that I care for! I feel like I've failed."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Everyone thinks very highly of you, especially Peter."

"Sometimes I forget I'm not the only psychic on the planet."

"Now who said I read your mind? Anyway, Hank's been doing some research on the symbols which appeared on your arms."

"Did he find anything?"

"It appears the symbols correspond to the signs and constellations of the Zodiac, but that's all he has right now. I'll keep you posted on his findings. And we'll begin our sessions next week, if that's okay with you."

"Yeah. Thanks, Professor."

Rhys left the Professor's study and hurried back to his room. Even though Bobby and Ororo said they were fine, Rhys was still embarrassed for what had happened and wanted to avoid them for the rest of the day. He still didn't know what to do about Pete because he did have a crush on the Russian, but at the same time, he didn't want to rush into things and have someone get hurt in the end. All he wanted was to put on his iPod and stare out the window for a while. Or maybe write. He needed to do something to keep his mind from exploding and since he'd slept most of the day away in the med lab, the fact that the clock was teetering on midnight didn't even register.

Rhys curled up on his bed as soothing music filled his ears and his gaze drifted from twinkling star to twinkling star. As he lost himself in the endless night sky, he suddenly had the impulse to go outside, but not just outside, up to the roof. Without much hesitation he pushed his window open and levitated himself with his telekinesis, but as he was about to float out the window, there was a knock at his door.

"Come in."

"I take it I didn't wake you," Pete said with a smile as he entered the room. "Where are you going?"

"I just had this sudden urge to go to the roof. I've been inside all day."

"Oh. Well, I'll let you go then."

"Wait. Did you have something in mind when you knocked on my door?"

"I was gonna ask if you wanted to watch a movie or something."

"Sure. What movie?"

"I was hoping you'd have a suggestion."

"Have you seen _Mean Girls_?"

"It sounds like a porn."

"Whoa. It's only one of the best movies ever. It's like…_Clueless_ for the next generation."

"_Clueless_?"

"How late do you want to stay awake?"

Rhys and Peter set themselves up in the den of the mansion and popped in _Mean Girls_ before getting comfortable on the sofa, though Rhys took the liberty of propping a pillow against Pete's side. Pete didn't seem to mind.

"Okay, I have to tell you something before we start the movie," Rhys said, turning to Pete.

"What?"

"I have a really bad habit of falling asleep when I watch movies outside of a movie theater setting."

"Oh. Uh…"

"Feel free to wake me up if I do pass out."

"Sure."

Within half an hour, Rhys had gone from stretched across the sofa to curled up against the pillow next to Pete, fast asleep. Lost in thought, his gaze rested on Rhys leaning against him and he didn't notice Jean walk into the room.

"Good movie. Sorry if I interrupted something."

"Don't worry about it Jean. He's passed out anyway."

"He's had a rough day."

"Yeah. He's worried. He's upset. He's also embarrassed about what happened."

"If he pulls that power out on the Brotherhood, we might be out of a job," she said with a sympathetic smile. "So, are you two an item, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I…don't know. I mean, I've never dated anyone before and I haven't felt like this since…""

"Logan?"

"…Yes. "

Jean smiled as she put a hand on his shoulder. "I don't have to be psychic to see Rhys' feelings are mutual. Anyway, I'll let you get back to your movie. Night Pete."

"Goodnight, Jean."

When the credits rolled, Pete turned the television off and carried Rhys back to his room. As he pulled the covers over him, Rhys began to shift.

"Mmm. Pete?" he moaned, still half asleep.

"Yes?"

"I slept through it, didn't I?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. Now get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Don't leave. Please."

"Uh…"

"Mmmm. Please," Rhys begged again as he fought sleep long enough for the Russian to answer.

Pete was a little hesitant, especially because Rhys was asking while he was half asleep and he'd never spent the night with anyone before. What if he did something wrong? Was there anything that could be done wrong? He was also embarrassed because even though he was a year older than Rhys, he'd had little experience with relationships and being physical while Rhys had had a boyfriend when he was a sophomore in high school.

"Fine. Just move over a little bit."

Pete slid under the covers and Rhys wasted no time curling up against the Russian, who was still a bit hesitant about the arrangement.

"Pete," Rhys whispered in the same sleepy voice, "just relax. Don't be so…tense. I'm not made of glass. You're not gonna shatter me."

Pete turned to look at Rhys whose eyes were now wide open and staring at him. They found themselves locked in eye contact; neither of them was willing to break it. Pete decided he was being given a chance to make a move and it took every ounce of his will to shut up the tiny voice inside his head that tried to convince him of some other course of action. He slid his arms around Rhys and pressed his lips gently against his companion's. Rhys didn't miss a beat, almost as if he'd been waiting for it all night long, and pulled Pete closer to deepen the kiss. After a few minutes of intense mouth-to-mouth, they parted lips and though Rhys drifted into slumber, Pete remained awake for a bit as he thought about everything that led up to this and everything that was to come.

In another part of the Mansion, Professor Xavier and Hank were sipping tea and discussing some of the symbols that appeared on Rhys' body.

"It's very stranger because the symbols correlate to recent star charts," Hank said as he slid the Professor some notes.

"I fear what we're seeing is more than just latent powers manifesting themselves, Hank. While he was unconscious I tried to get into his mind."

"What did you find?"

"There was something…elusive."

"Do you think he's bipolar?"

"I believe it may be a separate entity entirely, one whose power we haven't even seen the half of. These incidents have been progressively becoming more and more violent."

"Do you think it's gonna get worse?"

"I'm certain of it and I think the symbols are clues of some sort. I'm going to sleep on this. Have a good night, Hank."

"You too, Professor."

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End Chapter V: Get Together

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_Thanks so much for reading everyone! Reviews I love you, more so than I already do! _


	6. Chapter 6: Holding Out For A Hero

Stargazer

by The Dark Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own le X-Men. But if I did…

_Author Notes: Welcome to the next chapter! I can't believe it's number six already! I hope you're enjoying it thus far! Reviews are always appreciated!

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_

Chapter VI: Holding Out For A Hero

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When Rhys woke up the next morning, he was still wrapped in Pete's arms, which were probably numb from being in the same position all night. He slid out of bed to go to the bathroom and when he returned, Pete was still in the same position. For someone who could turn to metal, he sure slept like a log. Instead of getting back into bed, Rhys flipped open his laptop to reply to Reeny's latest email. Being part of the X-Men was like finding a missing piece of himself, but he also missed Renny terribly and was always excited when he saw one of her emails in his inbox.

After a few minutes, he noticed Pete starting to stir and opened the shades to let some light in.

"Morning Pete."

"Mmmmm."

"Sleep well?"

"Mmmhmm," he moaned as he turned away from the light.

"I'm gonna grab a shower," Rhys said as he walked to the door, stopping to give Pete a peck on the cheek before leaving the room.

After a relaxing shower, during which the events from the night hours replayed repeatedly, he returned to the room only to find Pete still sleeping. Rhys decided there really was no other course of action he could take; Pete awoke as he was lifted into the air and gave Rhys the evil eye as he fell back onto it.

"You're lucky I didn't turn to steel."

"Because then there'd be a huge hole leading into the subbasement."

"There are other ways to wake someone besides violently."

"But violently is more fun. Plus I wanted to wake you up before I went to the danger room."

"You're going back to the danger room already?"

"Relax lightning rod," Rhys quipped with a smirk. "I'm just gonna hone my telekinesis a little bit. You're more than welcome to join if you want, though since it's been quiet lately you might want to do some painting."

Pete smiled and Rhys settled down on the bed next to him.

"I really like you, Pete," he admitted candidly. "I've kinda been harboring a crush since we met. This might seem blunt, but I mean…after what happened last night…God I feel like I'm 10 years old right now."

"I like you too, Rhys. A lot. I just…I've never _been_ with anyone before. Not a relationship. Nothing. I…don't know what to do."

"There's no set of rules on how to start or keep a relationship, Pete. You just do what feels right."

Pete took in the fresh scent of soap on Rhys as he pulled him in for a brief kiss.

"You're a quick study," Rhys said with a devilish smile. "Now I've got to get to the danger room before Jean gives me a headache."

"I'll be there after I shower."

"See ya!"

Cyclops controlled the simulation from the control room while Zodian and Jean used their telekinesis to solve various puzzles and disable an assortment of enemies ranging from anti-mutant protestors to Sentinels. Halfway through the session, Colossus joined Cyclops in the control room.

"How's Zodian doing?"

"He seems to be fine today, though this is a low stress simulation. Wanna join 'em?"

"Are you sure?"

Cyclops pressed a button to activate the intercom to make an announcement, "Zodian. Jean. You're getting some reinforcement."

Colossus entered the room just as Cyclops added a few more Sentinels to the simulation, in which they had to fend off the mutant-hunting robots while getting some civilians to safety. Jean kept the bystanders shielded from robotic debris while Colossus and Zodian turned the giant robots into smoldering remnants. After tearing the legs out from the last Sentinel, the Russian turned to Zodian and gave him the thumbs up. Seconds later, another robot landed while his back was turned.

"Colossus!" Zodian yelled as he ran toward the steel powerhouse.

Without even thinking, Zodian dashed towards the giant robot and, using his telekinesis, flung himself into the machines mechanical chest. Colossus and Jean both yelled Zodian's name, to which he responded by popping out of the Sentinel's head and levitating above the hulking machine before it crashed to the floor.

"I'm like Athena," he proudly stated as he descended to the floor.

"Huh?" Colossus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Never mind. How'd we do, Cyke?"

"Fantastic. Come up to the control room."

After Scott replayed some of the finer moments from the simulation, Rhys accompanied Pete to his room so he could watch the Russian paint. Instead he ended up passing out on his bed with his headphones on while Pete stole glances of him between brushstrokes. It wasn't exactly the nicest of days out, so he didn't mind spending the day painting, especially with Rhys curled up on his bed.

About an hour passed and Pete noticed Rhys starting to wriggle around in the bed, but instead of a waking squirm, it looked like he was having a nightmare. He then noticed the black symbols forming on his arms and started shaking him awake.

"Rhys! Wake up!"

"Pete," he moaned in a voice which sounded like he was on the verge of tears. "Help me."

"What do can I do? Rhys! How can I help you?"

Suddenly Rhys opened his eyes, which were white with energy, and looked up at Pete menacingly. Pete quickly turned to steel and held Rhys down.

"Rhys! Look at me! I know you can hear me! You have to fight it, Rhys!"

Pete could feel the energy emanating from Rhys' body as he held him down and tried to snap him out of it. Items around the room began to levitate, including the bed they were on.

"RHYS!" he screamed as he tightened his grip on the boy.

Rhys' eyes turned back to their normal dark brown and everything in the room slammed back to the ground; Rhys fainted and Pete brought him to the med lab.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you. Professor, Pete," Hank apologized as he entered the med lab. "I found something interesting when I was looking over the symbols described."

"Ah, yes. Please, what have you discovered?"

"Look," he said as he handed Xavier a few papers. "Like I said before, the symbols on his body correspond with current star charts. The areas where they appeared today correspond with the star charts from today. It looks like…some kind of countdown."

"Interesting…"

"Also, there's going to be a solar eclipse in the coming weeks. Have you had any luck tapping into his mind?"

"Pete, please excuse Hank and I," Xavier said as they left the lab. Once they were out of earshot of Pete, "Hank…there's something of terrible power within Rhys. Something malevolent. To be quite honest, I'm shocked he's been able to suppress it this long, but I'll chalk that up to his immense mental prowess. I'm afraid something unpleasant will occur on the day of the eclipse."

"What can we do?"

"We'll see how he is in the next few days and I'll do my best to think of something besides…"

"…killing him."

"I pray it doesn't come to that."

"We'll think of something, Professor."

Back in the med lab, Rhys had woken up and was talking to Pete.

"I'm sorry, Pete. I dreamt I was just…losing control again."

"Your powers just flared up. No one got hurt. Just relax."

"I don't want to relax. I'm not tired. What time is it?"

"Whoa, after 9."

"Time flies when you're passed out. I'm gonna go to my room. Come by later, okay Pete?"

"Sure."

Rhys went to his room, but didn't stay long; instead he opted levitate to the roof and meditate under the stars. He wondered what the stars were trying to tell him and what was going on with him. After 20 minutes, he entered a deep trance and felt completely free of everything. That was when he saw the figure, a darkly clad figure in a flowing cape with enormous wings.

_Who…who are you?_

_I'm the Malevolent Angel of the Light and Dark Energies of the Universe. I'm the Stargazer._

_Are you…whatever's inside of me?_

_Soon I will be free of you._

_Why do you want to hurt the people I love?_

_Why do you ask questions to which there are no answers?_

_Why?_

_Soon…_

The figure began to fade even as Rhys beckoned it to return and soon it was gone; Rhys slowly emerged from his trance-like state and sensed that Pete was reading the note he'd left for him on his bed.

_I'm on the roof, Pete. I'm coming down now._

Rhys slipped into the window and found Pete sitting on his bed. They slid their arms around each other and kissed as they got comfortable on the bed.

"Rhys…are you okay?"

"Well, when you take into account there's a malevolent entity in me, I'd say I'm handling things pretty well."

They slid under the covers and started another intense session of making out. Soon they were pulling each other's shirts and pants off and later that night, Pete learned how one's mouth could be used to make his partner achieve an orgasm. Pete inhaled the salty scent of Rhys' breath as they kissed again, deeply sliding their tongues into each other's mouths.

"Not bad for a first time, Pete," Rhys said as he nestled into the crook of the Russian's arm.

"Thanks."

They lay there in each other's arms for a while, not tired enough to fall asleep, though not bold enough to make another move. That is, until Pete turned to Rhys and kissed him again.

"Rhys….I…I love you."

"I love you too, Pete," Rhys replied with a smile. Then, after a pause, "And thank you."

"For what?"

"For staying with me after everything that's been going on. It's probably not the easiest thing to deal with."

"I don't care about your powers flaring up. I care about you and I'll do all I can to protect you."

"My hero."

They kissed again and pulled the covers over their heads.

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End Chapter VI: Holding Out For A Hero

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_As always, reviews are awesome._


	7. Chapter 7: Waiting

Stargazer

by The Dark Zodiac

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men characters or any of that jazz.

_Author Notes: So…welcome to the second to last (?) chapter of my first X-Men fic, Ultimate or otherwise. I really appreciate the feedback from everyone and I really do hope you've enjoyed the story._

Chapter VII: Waiting

Regardless of what they did during the day, Pete and Rhys started spending every night in the same bed. The more time they spend together, the more they grew on each other and though they may have only known each other for a few months, they knew over those months they'd formed a deeper connection which they could only describe as love.

Every few nights, Rhys would have a nightmare and Pete would subdue him as best he could; sometimes it took the intervention of whichever X-Men were around at that time. On a rainy day one week before the eclipse, Rhys was walking alone around the grounds of the mansion, stopping every few minutes to examine a flower or tree that caught his eyes. After an hour of listless wandering, he found himself at the weeping willow tree he and Pete sat under the first time they met.

_I need you, Pete_.

Suddenly he saw Pete pushing the willow branches aside.

"Pete?"

"I've been looking for you."

"Every hear of telepathy?"

"I'm not a telepath."

"That doesn't matter. If you focus, you can make me hear you. It's weird. I used to experiment with Reeny all the time."

"Is something wrong, Rhys? You've had this blank expression all day."

"I have to get out of here. Look," he said as he lifted up his sweatshirt, revealing the black symbols. "It's gonna happen any time now."

"We have to get you to the Professor. You're safer here!"

"But _you_ aren't."

"Rhys..."

"Uhhh," Rhys moaned as he clutched his head with his hands and his eyes went white. "Get away from me, Pete!"

Rhys ran away from Pete as fast as he could as energy began to expand from him in glowing ribbons. Pete chased after him, but Rhys knocked him back with a blast of telekinetic energy.

"RHYS! WAIT!"

Waves of energy exploded from Rhys' body as the enormous wings and cape took shape. Pete ran into the Mansion as fast as he could, but the Professor was already giving the X-Men orders.

"Jean, can you track him?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Excellent. Take the jet and follow him. He's a danger to himself and everyone around him. Peter, you must do everything you can to stop him. If he gets out of control, you have to stop him by any means necessary."

"I understand, Professor."

"Now go. Quickly."

Zodian streaked across the sky in a brilliant flash of light and energy while the X-Men did their best to follow him in the X-Jet. After half an hour of flying, they finally tracked him to a small abandoned park beyond a dead end street. Cyclops set the jet down and Colossus got out.

"Let me try and talk to him."

"If anything happens, we'll be right behind you, Pete," Jean said as he placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

Pete found Rhys sitting on a swing, his wings and cape bigger than they were before. He noticed the black symbols went all the way up his neck and onto his face.

"Rhys?"

"Pete? Why? Why did you follow me?"

"Because I love you, Rhys. Now please, come home. We can help you."

"No. You can't."

The Russian was now standing over the telepath with his hands on his shoulders.

"Pete. You have to kill me. While I still have some control."

"I can't, Rhys. How could you even ask me to?"

He stood up and was quickly wrapped in Pete's arms. Tears dripped from both of their eyes as they embraced.

"Pete…if you love me, you'll do this," he said as he looked up at him. "I'm too dangerous."

"There has to be another way."

"There's no other way! Do it Pete! Please…" he begged as he buried his face in the Russian's chest and more tears trickled down his face. "Please…"

"Never."

"I don't want to end up killing someone I love! I don't want to end up killing you! Pete! Something terrible is going to happen during the solar eclipse. I can feel it. Whatever is inside of me…it's going to come out. I won't be able to stop it. I won't be able to control it. I've made contact with it. It's too powerful for any of us to defeat."

"I can't."

"The longer I'm alive the more everyone is in jeopardy! Are you really willing to put their lives on the line too? I love you, Pete, but I'm not worth all this!"

"I love you, Rhys…"

"Pete…I can't…can't…control it…"

As Rhys was about to lose it again, Pete quickly turned into steel and knocked him unconscious with a light blow to the head.

"…and I'm sorry. But you _are _worth it."

When they got back to the Mansion, the Professor put Rhys into a medical-induced coma with the use of heavy sedatives. Once again, Pete found himself at Rhys' bedside, their hands intertwined among a jumble of wires and tubes. The Russian ran his hands through Rhys' hair and kissed his forehead as the constant beeping of the heart monitor provided a lackluster soundtrack.

Minutes ticked by on the clock as Pete did his best to fight sleep, but he soon found himself facedown on the side of Rhys' bed. Everything was black until he heard Rhys' voice.

_Pete._

_Rhys? What the…is this a dream?_

_Kinda. My body may be in a coma, but my mind is far from rested._

_I…still don't understand._

_It's hard to explain, but when you get deeply emotionally attached to someone, a kind of psychic link forms.  
_

_Are you okay?_

_The eclipse is in three days._

_What's going to happen?_

_Something terrible._

_What?_

_I'm not entirely sure, but it has to do with the energies of the sun and moon amplifying each other. The Stargazer is gonna absorb them somehow and break free of me._

_Then what?_

_Do you really have to ask, Pete?_

_But you're in a coma now._

_Do you really think some sedatives are going to keep me on this bed during the eclipse? There's…still time, Pete._

_For what?_

_You can still kill me. I'm in a freakin coma! I won't feel it._

_But I will._

Pete suddenly woke up and wondered if what had just occurred was really some kind of psychic link or just a dream.

End Chapter VII: Waiting

_R&R please! Reviews are much appreciated!_


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